Preschool Themes

Many early childhood teachers use a thematic approach in their classrooms.  There are some keys to choosing a good, developmentally appropriate theme:  

1. relevance--tied to real life experiences, builds on child's background knowledge, helps children understand the world around them
2. possibility for hands on activities--firsthand experiences or simulations
3. available resources and materials
4. potential for in depth projects to emerge

My first experience in planning a theme was in my junior or senior year in an undergraduate EC curriculum course.  The class was taught my by favorite teacher and later mentor, Dr. Nancy Smith.  A major project for the course was to choose a theme to plan activities around that would be taught in small groups and later be added to a thematic learning center.  We also had to coordinate a dramatic play center to be implemented with our theme.  I love planning and was excited to get started.  I had already decided I would choose a insect theme.  There was a slight problem, I didn't choose a backup plan for a theme and the day we announced our theme to the class someone else (who announced before me) chose an insect theme...what would I do?  Well...when Dr. Smith called my name to record my chosen theme, I blurted out that my theme was "feelings".  Not sure what possessed me to pick that particular theme...but it wasn't a good choice for many reasons...but I made it through that course and never used that theme on its own again (later I used some activities in an "All about me" theme).  

In my almost 19 years working with 2-5 year old kids I have implemented quite a few themes that did work well.  Some day I may devote future posts to outlining activities with certain themes...but for now I will just list my favorite themes.

• All about me
• Apples
• Fall
• Pumpkins
• Thanksgiving
• Winter
• Spring
• Five senses
• Friends
• Family
• Pets
• Zoo
• Valentine's day
• Weather--wind, clouds, rain, rainbows
• Farm
• Ducks
• Dinosaurs
• Berries
• Pasta
• Pizza
• Insects
• Bubbles
• Colors
• Nursery rhymes
• Fairy tales
• Breakfast
• Transportation
• Garden
• Camping
• Clifford 
• Bakery
• Birthday
• Pond life--fish, frogs, reptiles
• Babies
• Grocery store
• Olympics
• Restaurant
• 4th of July
• Community helpers--post office, doctors/nurses, dentists, firefighters, policemen

Here are some pictures from my days of preschool past that highlight some of my favorite themes.  

Visiting sheep during a farm theme.  

Caging animals with our zoo theme.

Harvesting vegetables in dirt table with our garden theme

Washing babies.